Random Intermission 1: Sunday Morning
by Sorceress Nadira
Summary: With relationship as theirs, last thing they wish is being discovered... Especially by Lord David, who is... Let's say slightly less himself than usual. Torgal/Corina/guest starring: Dave and his problems


_Here goes a random intermission. I hope it will be at least a bit funny – I had a lot of fun writing it anyway… As usual, all reviews and comments much appreciated._

_ The longer story is slowly writing itself; it might actually be ready after Christmas… I hope._

_ Ahem. After reading it again a few times, I decided it deserves to be put under M category._

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It was probably the chill that woke him up in the first place. Torgal opened his eyes and realized a few things at the same time. First: that his left upper arm, resting under his head went numb. Second: that the sun was high enough to indicate late morning. And third: that any move he would try to make was unavailable, because of a warm and quite unexpected presence he felt by his side. He curiously lifted his blanket.

Corina trembled, curled a bit more and caught the blanket, pulling it over her head again. She murmured something quite hard to understand, but Torgal heard a word: "cold" and "idiot" right afterwards. She used the latter a lot recently, presumably showing him her warm feelings in her twisted but charming way. He realised his right upper and both lower arms were holding her body protectively. It was a good position to sleep in.

Corina stirred under the blanket and murmured something more. Then she sneaked out, looking at him accusingly.

'It's damn cold' she said. 'Why are you waking me up?'

'We overslept, beloved. You should go back to your chamber.'

She sneered and pressed her cheek to Torgal's chest, burying her nose in his black fur.

'It's Sunday, no one will look for us. Gimme a break.'

He combed her hair with his fingers, until she looked at him again, slightly annoyed. Torgal thought it would be commonplace to tell her she looks beautiful, when she's angry, so he didn't. He smiled at her instead and that made her kiss him. He liked her doing that. It was something new to him, as Sovanis never kissed - their lips were not too suitable for that activity. He was an eager learner though, and committed himself to the pleasure wholeheartedly.

'Ah, you're gonna bite me' chuckled Corina, backing away.

'My apologies.'

'Don't, I like it. Well, not the biting part, but all the rest of it.' She stretched, and sat beside him, snatching the blanket to cover her bare arms. 'What time is it?'

'Guessing by the sun it must be after eight.'

'So bloody early? You're really testing my stamina, sweetie. After we've fallen asleep so late…' she paused suddenly and turned to look at the door. Torgal heard the sound of footsteps too, a moment before. They exchanged glances and jumped to the same conclusion immediately. The mattress creaked.

There was a knock on the door.

'Torgal, open up. We need to talk.' Lord David's voice, slightly muffled by the thick wood, was a bit worried and a bit annoyed at the same time. Torgal threw Corina's clothes at her and caught something he hoped was his own.

'One moment, my lord!'

Kicking his shirt under the bed, Torgal drew the long, thick curtains of the canopy. He heard Corina cursing under her breath and the mattress creaked once again. Thank gods for the curtains; he knew she would sit still behind them and, hopefully, he could turn Lord David out as soon as possible.

He opened the door and revealed David's concerned face. Behind him two servants were carrying breakfast.

'Has something happened, my lord?'

David waved his hand in the air and waited until servants left the food on Torgal's table and ushered themselves out. Then he cast a reproachful glance over the room.

'You have only one chair here, Torgal? That's a nuisance!'

'I can stand, my lord. What…'

'No, don't bother. Push the table closer to the bed, we can sit on it and talk.'

Torgal stiffened, horror in his eyes and opened his mouth. Fragile "but…" hardly left it, when David approached the bed and drew the curtains apart. Sovani closed his eyes.

'Oh dear… Have I woken you up? It's quite a mess…'

Torgal decided to take a look. The bed was quite a mess - something he would have never forgiven himself in any other situation - but it was suspiciously Corina-free. Lord David caught the blanket and smoothened it over the surface of the bed.

'There we go!' he said, sitting on it and grinning widely. 'Push the table closer, would you? I'm starving.'

Torgal did that and then sat on the mattress beside the young Lord, helping himself to the cup of coffee. For a few moments he felt awkward when he thought about Corina, who must've been under the bed now. She was probably furious: with cold, hunger and this whole situation... He pushed all Corina-related thoughts out of his mind immediately. They made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

'What has brought you to me, my lord?' he asked, trying to sound as innocent and concerned as he possibly could.

David, his eyes fixed on the half-eaten sandwich, was silent for a long while. There was something unnatural in him; something odd... Torgal suspiciously moved forward, reaching for a plate and his nostrils were hit by an alcoholic odour.

'Were you drinking, David?' he asked, his ears turning backwards a little. David nodded glumly.

'I knew you'd say that' he said and sighed. Then, as if something broke inside him, he burst into tears. 'I don't know what to do, Torgal! I just...' He sniffled and suddenly threw himself towards the General, sobbing in his waistcoat. The Sovani stiffened. He wasn't expecting that. 'And I have no one to talk toooo...'

Now that was unnatural. For a second Torgal considered pushing David away and then jumping out of the window, but it wasn't the right way to handle this. On the other hand, nothing like this has ever happened during those eighty-three years he spent in the service of Athlum. It was a new thing and as all new things, it was awkward. Torgal suddenly felt a hand, pinching his left heel, and braced himself. He carefully patted David's arm.

'My lord...'

'I would go to Emma if only she was here' sobbed David, ignoring him. 'But I cannot. And I cannot go to Emmy, 'cos she'd laugh at me. Pagus' not the guy I'd talk to about it and Blocter...' He started to cry again, trembling like a leaf on windy day. 'I have no one else to talk to... You're my only hope...'

'I will insist on being briefed about the situation first, David.'

For a moment the young Lord was still and silent, as if deep in thoughts.

'Oh, right...' he straightened up, wiping his face with his sleeve. Torgal dutifully offered a napkin. 'Oh, thanks...'

'Do drink some coffee, too...' The hand, now punching his ankle was getting on his nerves, so he gently stepped on it and coughed, muffling a curse from under the bed. 'Ahem. And continue, please.'

'Right' David finally managed to control both his sobs and his shaking hands. 'I don't... I can't... Damn, I'm getting married in two weeks, Torgal! What am I going to do? I've never been married before! And all that, you know - couple thing... I mean, it's not like I've never... You know, there were girls, but Irina... And, like, it's going to be official, signed and vowed, and all...' David paused suddenly and gave Torgal, who was listening patiently, a guilty look. 'I'm being silly, right?'

'Thank you for sparing me from stating that, my lord.'

'I mean, of course I'm silly, coming here and talking to you about marriages and sex, and...' There was a longer period of thoughtful silence from David. 'Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you had sex, Torgal...?'

Oh yes, he was totally able to imagine the grin on Corina's face. It wasn't all that easy to keep a straight face with her laughter in mind.

'I shall blame it on your indisposition now, David, and never mention that again.'

'No, seriously, I'm concerned...'

'Suitably not that long ago' Torgal responded to the muffled chuckle with an icy look. 'If I am to give you any advice, I recommend you to go to your chamber now and have a really long sleep. With this, you might be able to avoid more unacceptable inquiries and shameful behaviour.'

David was silent again, gazing glumly inside the coffee cup. Tears in his eyes gave him a puppy-like appearance. Torgal almost felt sorry for him. Almost. There was still that image of Corina, making some inappropriate joke. He tried to wipe it out.

'There is no one else with an advice for every situation, you know?' David sniffled. 'I don't know what I would do without you, Torgal...'

'My lord, I seriously believe you are in a need of long sleep.'

'Right...' David straightened up again and took a deep breath. It was almost impressive to see how he regained his composure in just a few minutes. Only his eyes, slightly red, could betray him now. 'I'm sorry for breaking like that, Torgal. I shall never do it again.'

'No, I believe you should not.'

'I'll be taking my leave now' David got up and hesitated for a while. 'Have a good day.'

'Have a good sleep, my lord' replied Torgal, walking him back to the door and making a mental note to himself to ensure suitably large provision of water for David later on. Oh, and under no circumstances should Irina find out about this...

After the doors closed behind lord of Athlum, there was a rustle from under the bed and Corina emerged, slightly red on her face. She was chuckling madly. And she was still only half-dressed, which Torgal found highly distracting.

'I'm gonna forgive him for that intrusion; it was worth a good laugh I had' she said finally. 'Wish I could've seen his face!' She helped herself to the breakfast David left almost untouched. After a long moment of silence she gave Torgal a look. 'Gosh, you look like you've seen a ghost!'

'Do please tell me that... scene... has never happened.'

She grinned.

'Sorry, dear. Can't lie to you like that.'

'I am seriously hoping he will have no memory of that.'

'For both yours and his sake?' finished Corina, smiling. Torgal gave her a tortured look. 'Oh, come on. You handled it pretty well. For a Sovani, that is!'

Torgal sat on the bed beside her and accepted a sandwich, a kiss and reassuring stroke between the ears.

'It was the most awkward thing that has ever happened to me' he murmured, looking at the table absent-mindedly.

'Don't worry about that, sweetie.'

'Although, the lord of Athlum...'

'Shouldn't act like that and blah blah blah' interrupted Corina. 'Relax, he's a grownup; he doesn't need a guardian all day round. He'll have one hell of a hangover when he gets up, but he'll handle it. Worse things could've happened.'

'Somehow I find it hard to believe in.'

'Oh, you know' she grinned. 'David could've chosen me to talk to...'

The horrified look on Torgal's face made her chuckle again. She kneeled on the bed and embraced him, pressing her cheek to his in a Sovani-like gesture of fond reassurance.

'I know, dreadful thought. Let me free you from it.'

Freeing took some time and lasted two more pleasant hours. At times like that, Torgal couldn't help but marvel at Corina's ability to spend time in most curious and imaginative way. It was also a pretty lazy way, as it mostly took part within range of his bed, but...

After all, it was Sunday, wasn't it?


End file.
